Going South...Korea that is!

Friday was a blur, at best. I awoke at 3:45am, and went back to sleep for a few hours around 4:30am. Little did I realize, just how much those extra two hours would be worth in the currency of world travel. We arrived at the airport in Atlanta around 10am, and after goodbyes, I began this journey to South Korea. The plane boarded around 11:30am, and I took my seat...or should I say, the seat took me. The seats on Korean air are much smaller than 1998, or my love handles are on the non frequent flier program. I was able to fit in the seat, but being on the aisle beside the food service area, I was constantly in the way. I explained my situation to the stewardess, and she redirected me to a spot beside a window, with an empty seat on my left. May I say, my privates certainly appreciated that fine gesture of Southern hospitality. The flight was over 16 hours long, and I slept for 30 minutes.

After arriving in Korea, I went through Customs, and had my passport inspected, then I exchanged some dinero for a few won. I left the area to search for my ride. The time was 5:15pm in Korea, but my body was saying it was 3:15am. Guess what? My ride was not there. After an anxious, getting closer to Jesus, 2 hours, he arrived. My friend had sent his son to pick me up, but the bus had been delayed. So...I was really tired, and really worried. I was overjoyed to see Y Hyun, and we made our way to the bus. He is a very nice and helpful young man, as I am sure he had many other things he had rather be doing than ushering me back to his home. We took a 1 hour bus ride to the train station in Seoul, and there we jumped on a train for 3.5 hours to a much smaller town.

There, at 11:30pm, I met Choi's wife and a staff member of his nursing home. He had a lot of "Good Old Boy" in him, as he drove that minivan at MACH 3. If I had seen tobacco in his cheek, I wiuld have sworn that he was channeling the spirit of Earnhardt. I was in the back seat, and getting sicker by the second. The roads to Suncheon are very curvy and steep, I cracked the window, to keep from giving them an unfriendly "Hi ya'll", in the floorboard. We arrived at my friend, Choi's home at 1am. I hit the bed around 2am, and rose at 6:30am for my preaching at 2 worship services.

Today has been a refamiliarization with this culture. The food is manageable, and in fact, I like most of it. The people are most gracious, and love God. This afternoon, I took a long nap, and read some. Tomorrow, I will recap the sermons, and some of the experiences...many of which have to be filtered through my wife first. Please keep praying! All is well, and I hope that each of you realize what a great gift that you are to me.

Kahmsahmnaydah---Thank You very much.